THURSDAY | Book 1 (TRILOGY)

VALERIE (ALTERNATE ENDING)

~This is an alternative ending which was sent to me by a fellow reader (who prefers to remain anonymous). It takes place shortly after the events of the final chapter.
I decided to publish it because of its quality & content. I hope you love it as much as I do~

~MARCH, 1989~

Valerie's heart banged like a hammer inside her chest as the elevator took her up to the level that she desired. She felt like she was going to lose her mind, but she had to do this.

She needed to do this.

The elevator stopped abruptly which caused her to gasp due to the terrified state she was in. The door opened and she took a deep breath before she walked into the oh-so familiar velvet hallway and towards his apartment. The walk to her felt like she was a death row inmate taking their final steps into the execution room. If she could, she would run away into the night and never come within a block of that apartment complex. But she couldn't, she had to do this for her own sake, for Michael's sake.

She had to talk to him.

There she was. In front of the door that she thought she would never see again. She paced back and forth in the hallway for about five minutes, trying to calm herself before taking the daunting task of ringing the doorbell. The seconds started to feel like hours and time started to blur for Valerie as she breathed to steady her nerves. When she heard the locks turning, her head shot up and her left arm adjusted her purse. And there he was. Her former lover, Michael.

Her Michael.

"Valerie?" he said, poking his head through the small gap in the doorway. "W-What are you doin' here?"

Everything that she had planned in her head to say to him evaporated and her mouth went dry. "I-I needed to, uh—"

"I thought I told you never to come back."

That came out harsher than intended. They both glanced down before Valerie spoke up once again,

"It's important."

Wordlessly, Michael opened the door and motioned Valerie to enter. Once she walked in and he shut and locked the door behind her, he turned around and walked towards his oak liquor cabinet.

"You want a drink?" he offered.

"No thank you, Michael. I-I'm fine," she replied, crossing her arms.

To Michael, this was a red flag that Valerie was uncomfortable. "Is somethin' wrong?" he asked.

"Can we sit down? I need to tell you something Michael..." She pursed her full lips together.

"Um, Yeah. Sure. Come sit," he said, gesturing her to the white couch that was in his living room. They both sat together. "So what did you need to tell me that couldn't wait till tomorrow morning?"

This was when the first cracks in the dam started to form for Valerie.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for hurting you in the past. I've been so terrible to you and I don't know how to forgive myself for how I treated you." Valerie's voice started to fracture as she gave her testimony to Michael, "but if you say you forgive me, then I could work on forgiving myself."

For a second Michael looked down to think before making eye contact again.

"I forgive you Valerie," he said, and the dam broke for Valerie. She erupted in sobs to which Michael wrapped her in his arms to comfort her. "Ssh, I know. I'm sorry too. I'm not innocent either." He pulled Valerie into his lap and started to gently rock her. "I'm sorry for fucking you over so many times, for getting you on drugs, for cheating on you when I was falling in love you. You're not the bad guy here."